Jane Rasmussen

Director, Sisseton Arts Council

Sisseton, SD

Jane is a leader and advocate for the arts in South Dakota and in her home community of Sisseton, located on the Lake Traverse Reservation. Founder and director of the Sisseton Arts Council, she has worked to develop a model rural arts organization recognized for its community, tribal and global connections.

Rasmussen has served on the South Dakota Arts Council since 2003 and is a former Chair of the council. She taught English at Sisseton Wahpeton College for many years and is an independent scholar with the South Dakota Humanities Council, where she has been recognized for her work with The Stavig Letters, a project based on family immigrant letters. Jane holds a degree in English Education from Augustana College.

In her role with the Sisseton Arts Council, Jane is a strong supporter of Arts Midwest programs, having presented Arts Midwest World Fest and numerous touring programs. Sisseton is currently one of three communities in the nine-state region to pilot We the Many, a new program of Arts Midwest.

Jane joined Arts Midwest’s board of directors in 2016 and serves on the Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Committee.